


Marry the night

by Pumpkinnight120



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Caring Daryl Dixon, Coming Out, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Good Brother Daryl, Hugging, Rickyl Writers' Group, Suicide Attempt, depressed Merle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:40:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26961541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pumpkinnight120/pseuds/Pumpkinnight120
Summary: Merle comes to terms with who he is.Warning for suicide attempt.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon & Merle Dixon
Kudos: 9





	Marry the night

_"I'm gonna marry the night  
I won't give up on my life  
I'm a warrior queen  
Live passionately, tonight.  
I'm gonna marry the dark  
Gonna make love to the stark  
I'm a soldier to my  
Own emptiness, I'm a winner." - Lady Gaga._

Merle sat upon the sofa with his knees drawn up to his chest, face streaked with tears. In the quiet of the apartment Merle looked back on his life and tried to find the happiness in a sea of bad memories.

Memories of mental and physical abuse at the hands of an alcoholic father, the house fire that took his mother, being trapped in the closet and afraid to come out for fear of being beaten within every inch of his life. 

Merle thought he could better himself by joining the army, taking a job as a wheeled vehicle mechanic gave him a sense of worth knowing he was doing something he truly loved. Then after six years of service it all came crashing down the moment he lost part of his left leg.

After his accident he often blamed himself for what happened despite the fact that those closest to Merle told him it wasn't his fault at all that there wasn't anything he could have done differently. 

He'd tried ending it all on multiple occasions, drowning himself in liquor, pills or cutting his wrists but nothing seemed to take away the pain he felt every single day as his feelings of being trapped and alone only intensified. 

Merle walked into the kitchen and pulls out a pocket knife from a junk drawer. Returning to the living room he flips it open and presses the blade against his neck. 

After hesitating for over an hour Merle collapses onto the floor in uncontrollable sobs, tossing the knife behind him. 

Wiping away a few stray tears Merle picked up his phone and dialed the only number he could think of. 

\----------------------------

Daryl entered his brother's apartment to find him lying on the floor in tears. Kneeling down he pulls him into a hug. 

With his brother in his arms Daryl takes a quick sweep of the room, looking around for anything sharp. Pulling away Daryl holds out a hand.

"Hand it over Mer".

Reaching behind him Merle hands over the discarded pocket knife and wraps his arms around his brother, a fresh wave of tears falling.

"I's alright Merle I'm here".

Merle's hazel eyes met his brother's blue as he spoke his next words "lil' brother, I gotta come clean 'bout who I really am. Daryl, I'm gay." 

He said all this as a huge wave of relief washed over him.

Daryl pulled Merle into another hug "I'm proud of you Mer, that took a lot of courage ta admit who ya' are. I love ya' Merle an' that ain't ever gonna change".

"Ya don't gotta be alone anymore". 

Merle gave a small smile as he wiped away a stray tear "thank you Daryl, that means everthin' ta me". 

"Ya feel better?" Asked Daryl as the two got up off the floor.

Merle nodded "yeah I do".

Daryl smiled "wanna go out tonight? I know of a good bar nearby".

Merle wrapped an arm around his brother "sounds great lil' brother". 

\---------------------------

Thirty minutes later Merle was dressed in a skin hugging pair of black jeans and matching tank top. 

Zipping up his boots he grabbed his favorite leather jacket and for the first time in his life Merle finally felt truly fabulous. 

Glancing at himself in the mirror and marveled at the beautiful gold eyeshadow his brother expertly applied to his eyelids. 

Turning toward Daryl he smiled "let's go have some fun Lil' brother".

\------------------------------

Daryl awoke to a hangover and a headache. Slowly getting up he made his way to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.

Setting out two coffee cups he sits back down onto the sofa and nudged Merle awake.

Merle groaned opening his eyes, wincing at the sunlight coming in from the living room window. 

Merle took the coffee cup from Daryl with a silent thanks "the hell did we do last night?".

Daryl took a sip of coffee "ya got drunk, jumped up on a table an' started shoutin' then got down an' kissed the bartender, twice". 

Merle's eyes widened and felt a blush creeping up on his cheeks "I didn't do anythin' stupid did I?". 

Daryl shook his head "no, not anymore than usual, oh an' the bartender musta liked ya' cause he gave ya his number". 

Daryl pointed at his brother's arm.

Merle glanced down and took note of the ten-diget number on his forearm and smiled "huh, guess ma' stupidity paid off".

Daryl chuckled and took another sip of coffee "yep looks like it".


End file.
